Refrigeration system and method



July 14, 1931. w. 1.. BODMAN REFRIGERATION SYSTEM AND METHOD Filed NOV. 21, 1925 '7 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEYS.

July 14, 1931. w, BODMAN 1,814,114

REFRIGERATION SYSTEM AND METHOD Filed Nov. 21-, 1925' 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 W q Q Q Q w a F 1 A I a a I 2 QINVENTOIi.

I M ATTORNEYS.

July 14, 1931. w. 1.. BODMAN 1,814,114

REFRIGERATION SYSTEM AND METHOD Filed Nov. 21, 1925 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 a gI ENTOR. I

BY 4 T I ATTORNEYS.

July 14, 1931. w. L BODMAN 1,314,114

REFRIGERATION SYSTEM AND METHOD Filed Nov. 21, 1925 TSheets-Sheet 4 67 e4 59 as TORNEYS.

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July 14, 1931. w. 1.. BODMAN REFRIGERATION SYSTEM AND METHOD Filed Nov. 21, 1925 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 WNN - ,1 VE 0R. WM 152* B ATTORNEYS.

July 14,'1931. w. DMAN 1,814,114

REFRIGERATION SYSTEM AND METHOD Filed Nov. 21, 1925 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVEgTOR.

. BY M A TORNEYS.

July 14, 1931. w. L. BODMAN 1,314,114

REFRIGERATION SYSTEM AND METHOD Filed Nov. 21, 1925 7 Sheets-Sheet '7 llllllllllllllll M ATTORNEYS.

Patented July 14, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT, o1-"F1c1:

WALTER LIGHT BODMAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y ASSIONOB TO THE INSULATION GOR- PORATION, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE REFRIGERATION SYSTEM METHOD Application filed November 21, 1925. Serial No. 70,506.

My invention relates to improvements in the art of refrigeration, and more particularly to the art as practiced by the expansion of compressed gases which during expansion absorb the heat from the adjacent atmosphere. In carrying out my invention I have used carbon dioxide as the heat absorbing medium, and in the specification I shall refer to this gas, but it will be understood that the invention might apply to other cheap gases .to a certain extent. I

prefer to use carbon dioxide, however, because this is one of the chea est gases. It can be compressed to liquid orm, it is not explosive, it is inert, innocuous, and furthermore when liberated acts in a measure as a food preserver. larly applicable to household refrigerators, although the principle can be used in larger refrigeration plants. I am aware that carbon dioxide has been used as a refrigeration agent, but the principal reason that its use has not been commercial is that heretofore it has not been possible to control the refrigerant in such a manner as to bring the cost of refrigeration down to the level of ice refrigeration, for example. By my method, however, and by the use of my improved system and apparatus, I am enabled to bring the cost of maintaining low temperature below that of ice refrigeration, but to do this it is necessary to have the refrigerating element under perfect control, to have it liberated for expansion at certain definite predetermined periods, and to have it utilize its expansive properties to such an extent that the exhaust cannot be wasted. To accomplish these results itis necessary to have the refrigerating box insulated to such an extent that the refrigerate elements will not be wasted, but will confine their efforts to the interior of the box, the box must have closing means which will hermetically seal it when closed, and it must have the gas liberated for expansion in perfectly regulated quantities and at definite periods of time. To this end my invention contemplates using heavily compressed carbon diooxide, providing a controlling or expansion My invention is particuvalve which will operate at desired times without freezing and for a definite period of time to admit a certain expansive charge to the refrigerating box, to utilize a timing mechanism which can be adjusted so as to perfectly carry out the above mentioned valve operations, and to direct the expansive gas into a coil within the refrigerating box where it will be checked in its flow through the coil, but will be permitted to escape at the end of the coil after it has performed its work, and slow enough to prevent any disturbance in the box and to conserve the efiiciency of the system. These and other advantages will appear from the description which follows.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a refrigerating box and connections embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the structure shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a front elevation of the box with the doors removed.

Figure 4 is a vertical section on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a plan view of the box- Figure 6 is a horizontal cross section thereof. I

Figure 7 is a longitudinal section, on the line 7-7 of Figure 8, of the exhaust rose of the expansion coil.

Figure 8 is a cross section on the line 88 of Figure 7 Figure 9 is an enlarged detail section of a door locking means.

Figure 10 is a sectional detail of the cam lock for the door.

Figure .11 is across section on the line 1111 of Figure 10, but with the locking bolt in position.

Figure 12 is an enlarged detail section on the line 1212 of Figure 3, of a valve suitable for use in connection with the vacuum chamber of the refrigerating box.

. ex ansion valve:

igure 16 is a side elevation of the structure shown in Figure 15.

Figure 17 is a broken front elevation of the timing mechanism showing its connection with the expansion valve for controlling the gas supply.

Figure 18 is a side elevation taken from the opposite side of that shown in Figure 16.

Figure 19 is a plan view of the timing mechanism in connection with the expansion valve.

Figure 20 is a diagrammatic detail perspective showing the controlling means of the timing mechanism.

Figure 21 is a detail front elevation of the time wheel used in connection with the timing mechanism, and

Figure 22 is a section on the line 22-22 of Figure 21.

In organizing my system I use a source of carbon dioxide supply which can be a commercial bottle A, an expansion valve B controlling the flow of gas from the bottle, a timing mechanism 0 which regulates the periods at which the charge of expansive gas is released, and a refrigerating box D. An essential to economic operation is to have the refrigerating box insulated to such an extent that the heat absorbing action of the expanding gas will not be interfered with. I find that the best means of insulation is to have the box and its door or doors provided with vacuum walls, and if the box is properly constructed the vacuum can be easily maintained. In carrying out this idea, the box can be given any approved design, but the body has spaced inner and outer walls 10 and 11 which are preferably of wood, and which can be united at intervalsby bolts 9. At the corners and at the front openings bracing members 12 and 13 can be used to shape and support the walls, and additional transverse braces 14 and 15 can also be utilized for this purpose. This arrangement leaves a space 16 between the walls, and in this space can be maintained a moderate vacuum, sufficient, however, to afford good insulation. To further provide insulation, I cover the outer and inner surfaces of the box with some impervious material 17-17, which can be conveniently tin foil, and which is'turned under at the edges as shown at 18 in Figure 4, these inturned edges of the outer and inner sheets being insulated as shown at 19 in Figure 4. i

The box is provided with a suitable door or doors, and in the present instance I have shown a pair of doors 20 which are madelike the body already described, with the spaced I have found that it is practically impossible to. make a tight seal with any known type of door which swings from one ed e. Tothis end the doors are provided wit trunnions 22 at top and bottom and near the center, to which are pivoted two laterally extending arms 23 (see Figure 1) and these are journaled on a vertical rod or pintle 24 arranged at one side of the door openings and extending in the present instance for substantially the full height of the ice box, the rod 24 being supported in brackets 25, while a bracket 26 near the center of the rod stiflens the rod, and has ears 27 through which the rod passes and between which the middle hinge members 23 are arranged so as to revent displacement of said members. hus it will be seen that each door swings at its center to provide for direct in and out movement with relation to the door opening, but that the end hinge provides for swinging it wide open to afford necessary clearance.

Obviously suitable packing can be used between the door and the abutting part of the box to make the closure as tight as need be.

.To provide for tightly sealing each door a special form of lock is necessary which I will describe in detail in order that the efiiciency of the system may be understood, but the lock is covered by a separate application in connection with the manner of hinging and supportin the door. Opposite each door and at rig t angles thereto, is a bolt 28 which projects forward from the back of the ice box (see Figures 3 and 9) this bolt extending forward sufliciently far to project into a door, and on it is a transverse bit 29 adapted to enter the groove 30 of a rotatable sleeve 32, and to also register with an inclined cam 31 in said sleeve. The sleeve 32 ro 'ects forward through the door, and is eld to turn in a tubular member 33., the inner end of which is provided with aifiescutcheon or washer 34 which is fastened to the inner wall of the door, while the outer end abuts or substantially abuts with an escutcheon plate 35 which is secured to the outer side of the door and forms a bearing for the end of the sleeve 32 which projects forward from the door front and has a handle 36 secured thereto so that the handle and sleeve may be turned together. g

In Figure 9 the inner end of the handle is shown bearing against a washer 37 at its 'the handle 36 in one direction, the wall of the cam slot 39 will engage the bit 29 of the bolt and draw the door tightly shut, while by reversing the direction the bit can be made to register with the slits 30 and permit thddpening of the door.

It is necessary for practical purposes to provide the vacuum chambers of the box with a valve which will permit a vacuum to be easily created by a simple form of pump, and to this end I use a valve 40 which is shown in detail in Figure 12, but which isnot specifically claimed in this application. The valve has at its inner end a nipple 41 with a threaded outer portion 42, and with a suitable bore 43. It also is chambered-out as shown at 44 and is open at its inner end. The threaded part 42 is engaged by a lock nut 45 between which and the wall 10 is a gasket or washer 46. "lVithin the nipple 41 is a tube 47 which is fixed in the inner end portion of the nipple and whiph is closed at its outer end. Transversely through the wall of the tube 47 is a line of. holes 48, and these are. covered by a soft rubber gasket 49 which fits on over the outer part of the tube 47.

The inner end of the nipple 41 'enters a hole 50 in the wall 10 of the box and the outer end of this hole is enlarged as shown.

at 51 to contain the valve parts. The outer end portions of the nipple 41 screws into a 52 which permits it to be secured, as by screws, to the wall 10, a gasket 52 being inserted between the abutting parts. The

.plug 57 has a bore 58 lengthwise through it,

and on its inner wall are radially arranged channels 59 which intersect the said bore so that when the valve 56 lies against the inner end of the plug 57, the air may pass around the valve, through the channels, and out through the bore 58. The plug 57 is provided with a flange 60 which overlaps the outer end of the union member 52, and between the abutting parts is a gasket 61. The outer end of the plug 57 is screw threaded as at 62 to receive a closing cap 63. The valve is covered by a cap 64 which screws to a ring flange 66 on the wall 10, and ber tween the cap and flange is a gasket 65.

The valve is described in detail because it is essential to have a secure but easy operatin valve in order that the vacuum may be easily produced. When a pump of moderatepower is applied to the plug 57, the suction created will pull the valve 56 away from the openings 55, and will pull out 'the sides of the soft gasket or tube 49 so that the air may flow through the bore 43 and through the holes 48, pass aroundthe tube, and so out through the valve parts, but when the pump is removed the pressure will be the other way. The valve 56 will be held tight over the holes 55, and the tube 49 will be forced to tightly close the holes 48 so that no leakage occurs.

In connection with my improved system I prefer to use a commercial bottle A for containing the carbon dioxide, and this bottle has the conventional valve 67 for opening and closing it to permit the escape of gas, and the customary fixture 68 to which a pipe 69 can be coupled or uncoupled, as shown in Figure 1. This pipe connection with the bottle is conventional and therefore not shown in detail.

The pipe 69 connects with the inlet side 70 of a. valve 71 (see Figure 19) the gas coming through a transverse bore 72 (see Figure 17) in the insulation 73 which is arranged longitudinally of the valve 71, and this has an exceedingly small discharge bore 74 opening into the bore 75 of the nipple 76 ofthe valve 71. The nipple 76 connects with the expansion pipe 77 (see Figure 1) which leads through the wall of the refriger-- .ation box D, and merges into a coil 7 7' which as illustrated is vertically arranged on the back of the refrigerator box and within the same, but the coil can be arranged in any preferred manner without affecting the invention. The coil pipe 77 discharges into a ,rose78 (see Figures 7 and 8) which is illustrated in the form of a cylinder having .caps79 at the ends, and the cylinder has numerous slots 80 in its wall. The inner endsof the'caps 79 are thickened as shown at 81in Figure 7, and several layers of wire mesh are wrapped around the thickened flanges -81'forming a space 83 between the mesh covering and the cylinder wall. The wire mesh can be bound on as shown at 84, or otherwise fastened. By the time the expanding gas has reached the rose 78 it will have been pretty thoroughly utilized in absorbing the heat from the atmosphere 'of the ice box, so that there will be little pressure in the rose, and the exhaust will be checked 'bythe slots 80 and the wire mesh 82, thus permitting it to freely enter the refrigerator box as waste and with very little pressure. It will be seen that this exhaust gas, if CO is used, will have no deleterious effect, and-on the contrary it will act as a preservative and a fire retardent, and because of its weight it will not readily rush out into the room in case a door is opened, but wil], lie in the refrigerator box without substantial disturbance for a noticeable period.

To provide for economical use, which is essential to the success of my system, a special type of expansion valve is used which is shown best in Figure 17, and which is not hereclaimed specifically. This valve 71 is supported on a bracket 85 projecting from the frame 86 of the timing device C. The valve is operated to control an exceedingly hi h pressure, as the charge in'the bottle is hquid at the start and is always high until the charge is exhausted. Therefore a minute opening through the valve is used, and a needle valve 87 closes the outlet bore as seen in Figure 17, this valve passing through the valve casing 71, and through a nut 89 on the end of the valve casing. The shank of the valve 87 also connects with one wall of a casing 90 which has an insulating boss on one side through which the valve shank pwes, and a compression spring 92 is arranged within the terminal flange of the nut 89 and around the boss 91. The opposite wall of the casing 90 is provided with an insulating boss 93 which engages an abutment 94 ona lever 95, which in the present instance is vertically arranged, and is pivoted as at 96, so that the pressure of the lever against the insulating boss 93 holds the valve 87 closed against the tension of the sprin 92 The casing 90 can contain an electrical heating element 97 which is shown provided with terminals 9898', so that if desired a current can be passed through the heating element, and the heat will pass through the shank of the valve 87 and heat the valve so that when the valve is opened momentarily to permit a charge of expansion gas, the valve will not freeze. As a matter of fact in my system the valve is opened for such a very short space of time, usually only a fraction of a minute, that it will not become frosted before it is again closed, but should the interval be prolonged, there would be danger of the valve becoming frosted, which is an incident of many somewhat analogous structures, and this is overcome by the heating element when arranged as described.

An important feature of my invention lies in the fact that the valve controlling the expansible gas is not actuated thermostatically or by any usual mechanical device, but is controlled by a clock mechanism which can be adjusted so that the valve controlling the gas supply can be operated at predetermined intervals, and this adjustment can be made so that the intervals of introducing gas to the refrigerator box can be rather frequent during the active hours of the day,

can be slower at the less active hours, and

can be slowed down to a still reater extent during the night. Further can use any ordinary clock mechanism, preferably one that has an alarm, and can utilize the alarm side of the clock to actuate the lever 95 to close the valve 87 and can utilize the time side of the clock mechanism to re-set the locking device, all of which will be clearly understood from the following description.

The lever 95 can be actuated to close the valve by a roller 99 which is pivoted thereon, and the cams 100 which at intervals strike against the roller and move the lever 95 in position to tightly close the valve 87, the latter being shown in closed position in Figure 17. There can be any desired number of these cams 100, and I have shown them on a cam wheel 100 which is applied to the alarm spring barrel of the clock work, so that as the spring barrel turns it will strike alternately, bringing the cams into actio The spring barrel 101 shown in the drawings operates the ordinar time keeping mechanism of the clock wor and also the re-setting mechanism presently described. The clock work has on the alarm side an escapement 102 (see Figure 20) which is a conventional arrangement, and the pawl of the escapement is on an arbor 103 whichfhas a crank 104 extending upwardly and adapted to engage the hook 105 on the end of an arm 106. This moves laterally with the rod 107 which is pressed by a spring 108, and the end of the rod abuts with the spring arm 109 which is pivoted on the frame of the clock work as shown at 110, having a notch 111 to ride over the main arbor of the clock work, the free end of the spring arm being bent laterally as shown at 112 in Figure 19, and this is provided with a curved spring 113 which rides on a weight arm 114 on a rotating arbor 115 of the clock work. This in turn is provided with a crank 116 pivoted to a bent link 117 which is substantially parallel with the arm 106 but on the back side of the clock mechanism, and the arm or link carries at its free end a head 118 which has a shoulder 119 adapted to engage the bracket 120 on the upper end of the lever 95. This bracket is adjustable up and down, and to this end the lever is slotted as shown at 121 to receive a fastening bolt 122.

The periods for operating the expansion valve 87 are regulated by the teeth 123 on the inner edge of the crown wheel 124 which is carried on the main arbor of the clock work, the one which usually carries the hands, being pivoted thereon. The teeth 123 actuate the spring arm 109 and the rod 107 and'arm 106, so that as a tooth 123 rides past the bent end 112 of the spring arm, it moves the parts referred to inward so as to disengage the hook 105 from the crank arm 104 and permit the escapement 102 and consequently the alarm side of the clock mechanism impelled by the spring barrel 101 to move, and thus a cam 100 is turned out of contact with the roller 109, permitting the opening of the valve 87 by the action of the spring 92. The crown wheel 124: has on its periphery cycloidal teeth 125 for the purpose presently described, and the crown wheel. is moved by a pinion 126 which is fast on the crown wheel, and which is geared to the timing mechanism of the clock actuated by the spring barrel 101'. The teeth 125 actuate and receive in the spaces between them a roller 127 which is arranged in a generally horizontal manner, and which is carried by a tiltin lever 128 extending transversely across t e clock work (see Fig- 2 ure 16) this lever bein pivoted as at 129 and having its rear en extending beneath the link 117.

The timing mechanism acts as follows. It will be seen that the teeth 123 can be of such lenh and of such spacing that successive teet will act at desired times upon the mechanism described above and shown in Figure 20, so that as a tooth releases the escapement 102, the alarm side of the clock work will start and release the valve 87, as already clearly described. As a cam 100 leaves the roller 99, the lever 95 will move backward, and the head 118 will drop over the bracket 120, thus holding back the lever 36 105 and holding the expansion valve open,

but as the next cam 100 comes in position i to strike the roller 99 and close the valve, the lever pulls on the link 117 restoring the parts to their original position and the roller 127 40 drops between two teeth 125, and the weight of the roller 127 tilts the lever 128, lifts the link'127 so as to free the bracket 120 and the lever 95, whereupon the lever will be again moved to close the expansion valve, and the parts connected with the link 117 resume their first mentioned position as stated, the hook 105 passing into the path of the crank arm 104, and the actuating mechanism being looked as at the beginning of the movement.

I claim A refrigeration system' comprising a source of pressure gas supply, a refrigeration box, a needle valve controlling the flow of gas from the source of supply to the box, means for periodically opening and closing the needle valve, and means for heating the stem of the valve.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this 20th day of November, 1925.

WALTER LIGHT BODMAN. 

